Mont-Saint-Michel: Wonder of the West

Mont-Saint-Michel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site perched on a rocky islet amongst vast sandbanks. The abbey’s spire pierces the skyline.

It is a feat of wonder how this abbey survived in this precarious spot since 1023 while exposed to the powerful tides between Normandy and Brittany.

Known as the “Wonder of the West,” this Gothic-style Benedictine abbey was dedicated to the archangel St Michael.

“Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, the abbey is a technical and artistic tour de force, having had to adapt to the problems posed by this unique natural site.”—UNESCO

The abbey church is built at the top of the rock. It is 80m tall. Its platform is 80m wide. “This feat was made possible by the ingenuity of the builders of the Middle Ages, who built upstream all around the rock four crypts that support the summit building,” according to the abbey’s website. (Check out my other article on medieval villages, such as San Cristobal de La Laguna, Mdina, and San Sebastian de La Gomera.)

Huge Crowds

The abbey welcomes three million visitors a year. Friends warned me to expect huge crowds in the summer. Luckily, my local travel guide knew to time our arrival close to the abbey’s opening. We met at 8:30 am in Rennes. His goal was to buy our tickets by 10 am.

Bucolic Scenery 

The drive from Rennes to Mont-Saint-Michel revealed Normandy’s agricultural roots. We drove past fields of crops and cows grazing in the fields. Normandy’s breed of cattle is renowned for its milk, which is used in cheeses such as Camembert, originating from this region. Farmers also breed sheep and pigs.

My first glimpse of the abbey’s iconic spire rooftop during our drive shocked me. The church’s spire reaches toward the sky—a medieval skyscraper.

Cars filled the parking lot, so we weren’t surprised by the long lines waiting for the shuttle from the locality of La Caserne to the foot of the Mont.

Trek to the Abbey

“Do you want to get in line or would you prefer to walk to the abbey?” asked our guide. I preferred to walk, but there were six other members in our tour group. Luckily, they thought the guide said the walk took 15 minutes (not 45 minutes), so we began our trek. 

The distant silhouette of the abbey drew me like a magnet. I could have been a pilgrim in ancient days. Our path took us past fields where sheep grazed. (Check out the landscape by clicking the link to my YouTube video.)

As it was low tide, we walked past mud flats that resembled a desert terrain. I suggest you stop several times to photograph the abbey as you approach. My anticipation built as I slowed down my journey.

I also ran along the boardwalk to see the sheep run under the bridge to play. When we arrived at the abbey, our guide instructed us to turn left through the stone gates. In contrast, most visitors turn right and approach the abbey through the old town.

Medieval Fortress

It was a smart decision to bypass the hordes of tourists and follow the ramparts up to the abbey. The silence was palpable in the courtyard. We climbed up the steep hill, mounted the rock stairs, and trudged along the ancient wall encircling the abbey. 

The ramparts give the appearance of a fortress. In fact, the abbey served as the fortress of the duchy of Normandy during the Middle Ages due to its strategic position on the bay.

“Vast numbers of pilgrims visited, despite endless cross-Channel conflict; in fact, the ramparts at the base of the island were built to keep the English forces out.”—Normandy Tourism

Around every bend, I could look down at the miniature people below. It made me feel dizzy and disoriented as I wound around the corners. The water glistened like a baptismal pool.

Purchasing Tickets

We reached a courtyard where visitors stood in front of a cross. They also congregated in front of placards about the history of the abbey. We detoured around the long lines and bought our tickets at the sales office. (The cost of an adult ticket is 16 euros.)

We also opted to purchase the audio tour (5 euros). You are given a tablet to listen to a narrator and view videos about the abbey and its former operations. There was also an option to participate in a 10:15 a.m. walking tour (spoken in English), but we arrived too late.

History

Mont-Saint-Michel’s history dates back to 708. The Archangel Michael appeared to Aubert (bishop of the nearby hilltop town of Avranches) in a dream three times. According to the legend, Saint Michael asked him to build a sanctuary in his honor on an island called Mont-Tombe. 

By 966, Duke Richard I of Normandy ordered a Benedictine monastery to be built on the mountain. These monks followed the rule of Saint Benedict.

In 1023, the construction of the Romanesque abbey church commenced. 

“ . . . the Mont became an essential place of pilgrimage in the entire Christian West. They came to ask Saint Michael for protection and salvation of their souls.”—Abbey Mont-Saint-Michel 

The abbey was a significant cultural center in the Middle Ages. The monks produced and preserved essential documents.

A true political and intellectual crossroads, Mont-Saint-Michel welcomed pilgrims from all walks of life, including several kings of France and England, such as Henry II Plantagenet, Saint Louis, Louis XI, Anne of Brittany, and François I.

West Terrace

Everyone talks about the extraordinary views from the abbey. When you stand on the West Terrace, you will feel like a bird in flight. (Click this link to see my YouTube view of the West Terrace.) You get a privileged view of the bays of the cloister and the entrance to the abbey church.

“A magical island topped by a gravity-defying abbey, the Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay count among France’s most stunning sights.”—Normandy Tourism

Circle around the terrace to see the ramparts of this celestial fortress. Watch the seagulls diving and soaring over the water. Monitor the shifting tides as the day progresses.

The bay of Mont-Saint-Michel opens onto the Channel Sea. In good weather, you might view the Chausey archipelago when looking north. 

Architectural Styles

Romanesque & Gothic

You will want to linger in the abbey church, so find a seat. Construction spanned centuries. The church features both Gothic and  Romanesque architectural styles. 

For example, the Gothic “Merveille” (translated as Marvel) was built between 1204 and 1230. This complex of buildings included the refectory and cloister. 

“ . . . the masters of the Gothic period who, benefiting as best they could from the restricted area, invented the high walls, the soaring masses, the open volumes, the airy pinacles and the sharp silhouette of the rock.”—UNESCO 

The new body of the buildings, built from 1204, merits the name of “Merveille” (Marvel) for the elegance of its conception. 

The abbey church and nave feature the sturdy arches and thick walls characteristic of the Romanesque style. The monks also rebuilt the flamboyant Gothic choir of the abbey church. Construction began in 1448 to replace the Romanesque choir, which had previously collapsed.

You can walk around a small-scale model of the abbey church to examine its rooms and architecture closely.

The Cloister

If you want to see a heavenly garden, look no further than the monks’ cloisters. Here on the edge of a rocky mountaintop, the monks built a Gothic masterpiece on the north side of the rock. The cloister comprises colonnettes grouped in five. They are open on one side to the sea.

Today, the interior courtyard features a rectangular lawn. But the monks once grew vegetables and medicinal herbs. They could sit outside to read the Bible and pray. 

Unique Biodiversity

Animals and sea creatures flourish on this land on France’s west coast. Mont-Saint-Michel celebrates its biodiversity. As you approach the abbey, you will observe the sheep of the salt meadows grazing on the western terrace. The black-faced sheep resembles the Siamese cat with their face mask.

On the seaside, you can see seals (also called seals) and dolphins, regulars of the bay. 

You can also hire a guide to take you on a tour of the islet of Tombelaine. Accessible only on foot, it is an ornithological reserve where many birds come to nest in the spring.

Old Town

You can still visit the village that grew up in the shadow of its great walls. But the Old Town is comprised of tourist shops selling souvenirs, food stands selling ice cream and snacks, and restaurants serving meals.

I found navigating the Old Town frustrating, as it was crowded with visitors during the midday of my weekend visit. Forget about rushing. You also don’t want to fall on the cobblestone sidewalks.

But when you exit the Old Town, you are rewarded with views of the wide beaches and water. If time permits, lay out a towel and sit down. You might even want to turn away from the water and look up at the abbey.

Mont-Saint-Michel is truly the “Wonder of the West” that pilgrims trekked hundreds of miles to see.

“One needs to be eight centuries old to know what this mass of encrusted architecture meant to its builders.”—Henry Adams (Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres)